A Prince's Redemtion
by Lady Maryan
Summary: At the end of Magisters Terrace, Kael'Tha's life is spared by a mysterious force, and he awakens in a world far from his own.
1. Chapter 1

_The metal, the claws, all of them tearing at me, my magic it won't stop them, I feel nothing anymore, my flesh is nothing more, I feel my own magic fading in my hands, it can't end this way…. It just can't... I see the floor its coming up to greet me, now darkness is all I see, I feel them pulling at me, taking what I have, now I feel one, he has me by my hair, I know what is to come, sweet void take me. How… how could I fail like this, I am supposed to be undefeatable, he promised me immeasurable power… He released me, I feel myself fall to the floor again, the taste of blood still in my mouth, is it over? Are these my last seconds. I feel myself rising, something lifting my broken body, it is soft, is someone carrying me? Are they going to take me before those blasted Naru and make me pay for what they call my crimes? No… I cannot. I try to move it is no use, my body is too weak. I hear something its soft and gentle, soothing… I feel the darkness around me, it must be over… finally over…_

_I feel the veil of darkness lifting, my skin touching something soft, the air is heavy with a gentle smell, I hear something, sounds like water, where am I? I try to open my eyes, a bright light forces me to close them again. A voice gently calls to me, a hand touching me. I turn to try and look to who or what it is… a face, a woman's face, her skin pale as snow, with hair like the sky, her eyes a dark blue like the sea after the storm, who is she? She begins to speak gently, her voice like the sound of a river gently flowing…_

"Shhh rest now Kael'Thas, you are not fully healed yet." She spoke gently to him, her hand softly resting on his hand. She could see the heavy mist covering his eyes, the remnants of her deep sleep spell she had over him these last months. He tried to speak but his voice cracked. "You don't have to speak." She replied softly, turning she lifted a cup and bringing it to his lips, he accepted it, not feeling the strength to deny her. It was cool as it slid down his throat, he felt the coolness flow through his whole body, he felt a bit of strength return to him. When she took the cup and set it back down on a small table, Kael'thas turned and began to look around, the room was a soft shade of blue, the bed where he lay was draped in a soft blue and white material. He looked back to the woman, "Who... are you?" his voice small and weak sounding. "I am Umira, and you are safe here young prince." She gave him a soft smile. "Where?" he was straining himself trying to speak. "You are in my home, please, for now rest. You will need to gain your strength back. My magic is not finished yet." She reached over and adjusted the sheet that lay over him.

_Sleep, yes, but I want to know more. This woman… who is she, and why is she taking care of me? My eyes close on their own, I can't hold them open. Sleep begins to overtake my body; I have no will to deny it. I will get my answers, but for now…rest. Something soft whispers through my ears, a song… a lullaby…_

It would be another week or so before the prince would manage to stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time. By the second week he began to try and move on his own. Umira would come and bring him food and speak gently to him, she didn't speak of much, asking only how he felt. "Tell me, who are you? And how did you heal me, I should be dead." He asked while she sat preparing tea. "I am a master of water, my magics of healing are beyond what many will ever dream of." She handed him a cup. "I have never heard of you, on Azeroth or the Outlands." He replied then taking a sip. "That is because I am not of Azeroth or Draenor." She stirred a cup of her own. "Then where do you hail from?" he asked his interest now peaked. Her eyes lowered to the ground, "A land that no longer exists." "Why?" he asked increasingly interested. She stood suddenly and turned, "I could draw you a bath, it could help soothe your muscles…" He had upset her, he knew it. "That would be fine." He turned the other way not wanting to look at the woman.

The water was warm as he looked over the massive pool he was sitting in, as embarrassing it had been to him to have her aid him on even simple tasks, it was worth it now. He also now could look at his skin, and he noticed a difference. His skin color was turning, it was returning to its original color, not the grey it had become after his defeat at the Eye. Everywhere he looked he could see, patches of grey meshed with the pale color. Somehow her magic was reversing the effect of the arcane magic…

_This woman, she is so strange. She shows no outer signs of being powerful, but to reverse something like this… How is it possible? I must know, if a magic like this exists I must know how. Magic… I haven't felt the need since I have awakened no feeling of withdrawal… again, this woman magic must be strong, I will have to learn how she does it._

The next discovery he made was not about the woman whom was caring for him but she led him into a room that seemed to be a sitting room, a huge window at the end revealed where he was… they where underwater. He watched as strange fish swam by. He stared at the window then looked at Umira. "What's wrong?" she looked concerned, she then looked where he had been staring. "Oh yes, forgive me, you where not aware we were under the water." She gave her soft smile. He sat down by the window and looked up, he could see light above, the surface was not far away. She sat down beside him and looked up. "We are under a lake." She said running a finger across the glass a fish darting to follow it. "Explain…" his voice changed. She looked at him a bit of worry crossing her face. "How? How have you done all this? Brought me back from the grips of death, reversed the curse of the wretched… How? I must know." He looked at her, a fiery look in his eyes, he knew he hadn't the strength to conjure his magic but he would force this woman to reveal it all to him. "Please, Keal'thas calm yourself. It is not so easily explained." She reached out to try and calm him, but he moved first, he lunged at her his hand going for her throat. "You will tell me! Tell me everything!" he began to laugh. She didn't seem to suffer under his hand, she tried to pry his hands from her before a sad look crossed her eyes. Suddenly she vanished, what was once her body became a gush of water that sent the prince to the ground wet and alone. He pushed himself up and looked around, she was nowhere to be seen, and suddenly the place seemed cold…


	2. Chapter 2

It had been days since he had seen her, she had vanished, or had he killed her

It had been days since he had seen her, she had vanished, or had he killed her? He doubted the latter, if she had been powerful enough to mend his body, she wouldn't have died so easily. But where was she? He wandered through the place, he had come to realize it was sprawling, he would have to stop and rest after a while, he was still weak, and that fact annoyed him more than anything. He had found what he presumed to be a kitchen of sorts, but it wasn't like any normal kitchen. There was no stove, nor most anything one would normally find in a kitchen, and the pantry held wine, assorted herbs, and little else. What did this woman eat? On a counter was the tea kettle he had seen many times before, with a jar next to it labeled in a language he did not understand. There was also a small device nearby, which he after a bit of fiddling found it to be a warmer, presumably for the kettle. He found where she let fresh water into the house, and filled the kettle, he sneered as he set it down on the warmer.

"A prince like me having to do such menial tasks…" he sat down in a chair that was beside a small table. He pulled his robe closer to him, he would get chills frequently, ones that he couldn't shake. He then began to rub his temples, he had began to develop a headache, most likely from the lack of magic to siphon. He had tried to find something, anything in this place, but the magic that radiated from this place, seemed to have a source he could not find. The kettle began to whistle, and the prince gave another annoyed sneer. He rose and walked over to the kettle, taking it off and setting it down on the counter. He lifted the jar up once again, and noticed beside it was what appeared to be a tea ball, a small orb you fill with tea before dropping it into the water to steep. So again the prince was forced to fill the ball with the strange leaves, which he hoped was safe, and set it into kettle. A sudden flicker of energy passed behind him, he spun around, on his guard, but nothing was there… He looked around, until he noticed something sitting on the table. It was a small basket, and upon further examination, he found the contents to be food, it seemed to contain some type of soup in a sealed bowl and a loaf of bread, which was still warm. "UMIRA!" he yelled, he spun around, his eyes darting back and forth, but just as he had felt the presence, it was gone. He sat down, leaning down and putting his head in his hands, his head was throbbing.

After a while, he managed to fight back his growing pains of withdrawal and ate, he wasn't sure what kind of soup it was, but at the moment he didn't care, he was eating like a heathen, but he needed the food, he needed his strength if he was going to ever get out of this place. After he had managed to drink three cups of the tea, he found his headache had subsided a bit, it was still throbbing but tolerable. After a few moments of grumbling and cursing to himself, the prince rose and began to small journey back to his room. When he reached it he didn't bother with much else except crawling back into the bed and pulling the blanket he had found over him.

Kael'thas woke the next morning, feeling worse than ever, and his temper had reached its end. When he managed to pull himself out of the bed, he snarled. His head was pounding to the point he couldn't even think, but then he sensed something, something was in this place that wasn't there before, something magical….. He took off, finding some burst of energy, he ran through the halls like a wild beast, till he came to the room he had assumed was Umira's chambers, his eyes darted around, then he spotted it, sitting on a pedestal was a circlet crown of some form, he didn't care, all he cared it was radiating a strong arcane energy and he wanted it. He walked over and grabbed it, he started laughing as it felt its power radiating from the item to him, but then it went cold, he felt as if his body was freezing up, sharp needlelike pain began to shoot through his body and he dropped the circlet and began to scream, he felt like he was being torn apart. He fell to the ground writhing in pain. "KAEL'THAS!" he heard a voice, it was so loud, he felt hands on him, and when he managed to open his eyes enough through his pain, he saw it was Umira, she had a look of panic on her face. She then closed her eyes and he saw something, a light…a soft blue light formed around her and his body went numb, and he collapsed and fell unconscious.

She had only turned her back for a moment; she had to fetch something from her home, and had left the circlet on the pedestal for only a moment to change her robe. She had cloaked her presence, for she wasn't sure if he was ready to see her again, even though she hadn't gone far in the last few days. She heard him scream and when she came into the room, he had it in his hands, she knew what had happened, the circlet was enchanted to reject anyone else who tried to use it. She had to work fast to reverse the effects or it would kill him. She felt so guilty, ignoring the fact that the circlets aura would be detectable once it was not on her, especially to someone like Keal'thas. Once she stopped the curse, she lifted his unconscious body up into her arms. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you alone…" A tear rolled down her pale skin and landed on the princes arm, a patch of his skin that was still gray now had a spot where her tear had fallen.


	3. Chapter 3

The haze finally lifted, and Kael'thas managed to wake himself

The haze finally lifted, and Kael'thas managed to wake himself. For a while he laid there looking up at the white and blue drapery that hung over the bed frame above him. What had happened? He remembered the circlet, then feeling like his whole body was freezing from the inside…then nothing. Umira…she had been there, she had looked scared. He closed his eyes and laid his arm over his face.

_What was it with that woman? Is she playing games with me? Keeping me trapped here. She seems to not want me to be harmed, what am I to her; a little doll? _

His upper lip curled and gave a small snarl. "Oh look who's awake." An unfamiliar voice came, but unlike Umira's voice this one was sharp where Umira's was soft. He moved his arm then sat up quickly looking in the direction of the voice. And her voice wasn't the only difference. It was a woman, dressed in what could be described as half-plate armor all in the color of red and black, a long sword strapped across her back, where Umira's eyes where round and soft, this woman's where almond shaped and harsh, her hair was much shorted than Umira's only coming to the woman's shoulders and was choppy and layered and it seemed a dark, almost black color near the top, progressing down to a deep red color at its tips. The woman was leaning against the door frame, her arms crossed over her chest. "Are you going to lay there all day or what?" This woman was a complete opposite of Umira, and was annoying him more than she ever had. "Who the hell are you?" he got out of the bed to size himself up against her. "Oh boy, someone is sparky today. Flarea, alright, I'm a close friend of Umira, she asked me to come down into this fish tank, and check up on you, and I figured you might want to get out and get some fresh air. But ya'know whatever, I'll leave." She turned and began through the doorway. "WAIT!" Kael'thas yelled in a demanding tone. The woman turned back around and raised an eyebrow. "You assume too much." He snarled, his fists clenched at his sides. The woman smiled and walked towards him at a slow pace, her metal boots clicking as she walked. She came right up to him, and was standing just a head or so above him, "Do you know what I assume? I assume you are a wretch not worth saving and Umira is wasting her time. But if you want to get out of here you best get dressed and follow me." She said is a low voice that almost sounded like a hiss. She then turned on her boot heal and walked out of the room.

_Who was that woman? And how dare she speak to me in such a tone, treating me like a child. But no matter, if she is going to show me the way out of this place, I would be a fool not to take it._

He looked down at himself and then at the closet on the far end of the room, none of the clothes he had at the moment would suit leaving the house, but then he noticed a pile on a chair. Upon further examination, it was clothing and a pair of boots; the clothes where a black pair of pants, a white silk shirt, and a long red robe with gold accenting. These clothes seemed to have been made especially for him, or perhaps not… as he began to dress he found the sleeves of the shirt where a bit long, the pants a bit large, and the robe almost dragged the ground. After a bit of adjusting he looked in the long mirror on one wall of the room, he adjusted his hair on one side of his face, and then stopped, there was still a patch along his left jaw that was grey. He readjusted his hair to cover it before fixing the sleeves of his robe one more time, and then he walked out of the room.

To his immediate right was the woman Flarea, she was leaning against the wall again. "Damn you take a long time to get dressed." She pushed off the wall and looked him over, "If it don't fit right, airhead can fix it later." She then turned and proceeded down the hall. Kael'thas raised one eyebrow, airhead? He shook his head assuming it was better to forget it, and he began to follow the woman. They passed through many corridors, some Kael'thas had wandered himself, till they came to one he hadn't and upon walking only a few more feet, Flarea stopped and pulled open two large doors, behind the doors was a set of large stairs leading upward. Kael'thas walked past the woman and looked up, sunlight beamed down the tunnel, and he could smell the fresh air. He had the urge to just run up the stairs, but he had to keep some of his dignity, and he began to walk up them instead. He heard the doors behind him close and the armored woman begin to ascend the stairs.

When he reached the top he stood there a while, what he stood in seemed to be a small marble structure, perhaps a gazebo, there wasn't much here he could see, it was probably just a type of entrance way, marking the entrance to the home down below. As she stepped out of this structure and into the grass, he got his first good look at the world around him. There wasn't just one sun, but two, from his current position, one was to his left and the other his right, the left one was raised higher than the right. He continued to look around, they seemed to be standing in a field of sorts, there was a stone road leading from this structure out to what seemed to be another structure in the distance, as he looked around, he saw another larger building off to his right and as he continued to turn, coming around the corner of the building he found there was yet another building near the edge of the lake, but it was sitting in the air, hovering there a good 30 or 40 feet in the air, to its right, continuing what seemed to be a circle of building was a large earthen mound, with what from the distance he stood at, Kael'thas assumed was a door.

"This way." Flarea wasn't using the road; she just walked right through the grass towards the large building beside this one. Kael'thas followed, only because he didn't know where else to go.

When they got closer to the building, he began to smell burning, almost smelled like a forge. When they reached the front part of the building it was open air, and yes, it was a forge, a huge billow stood at one end of the open section, the opening on it large enough to put a person easily inside. A series of anvils and other assorted thing Kael'thas assumed belonged there littered the area. "Come here" she beckoned, he looked at her and snorted, "Get up here." She walked up the stairs and towards an armor stand. Kael'thas stopped; he knew exactly what the mess on the stand was. The chest piece was dented all over, one of the lower plates was actually falling off, not to mention the large whole in the center, one of the shoulders was missing and the other has some of the raised plates bent. "What the in the worlds did you do to this thing? Or should I bother even asking?" she looked at him, crossing her arms like a scolding mother. Kael'thas walked up to it and ran his hand down the front of the chest piece stopping at the hole in the center, it had been where the crystal shard was in his chest. Flarea lowered her arms and sighed. "That was the hardest part for her to do. She was afraid you wouldn't make it." Flarea lowered her tone and began to walk away. Kael'thas touched his own chest, a reminder of what had miraculously happened to him. A strong breeze blew past him catching his robe and hair. He was deep in his own thoughts when something startled him, "OH IT LOOKS FABOULOUS!" he spun around to find a man standing right behind him, Kael'thas jumped back knocking into the armor stand. "Oh my, he is skittish isn't he?" The man gave an almost feminine giggle. "Whindam, get out of here." Flarea walked up fast shoving the man. "Oh Flarea, I had to come admire my work on the subject, you know that." The man placed one hand to his face, seeming embarrassed. Kael'thas had regained his composure and stared at the man, he was very thin, his hair as long, if not longer than Umira, and thrown over one shoulder and tied about halfway down, his voice was aired, and sounded halfway between masculine and feminine. "Get out of my forge now!" Flarea pushed the man again. "Oh my, what has your temper flared up?" The man crossed his arms, "I have a right to meet our new guest too." He turned his head and gave a humph noise turning up his nose. "He isn't 'Our' guest, he belongs to Umira, now get out." Her small eyes narrowed looking at the man. "No." the man sat down and hovered in mid-air. Kael'thas didn't know what to think of these two, until he saw what happened next. "GET OUT!" Flarea screamed, her arms and hair caught fire, startling Kael'thas. The man looked a bit scared and startled and landed and began to slowly slink towards the doorway, "Alright…..I'm leaving…." When he reached the steps he took off, flying.

Flarea stood up straight the fire on her arms dying out, as did the physical flames on her hair, but her hair still floated about for a bit as if it where on fire still. "Such a pest…" she turned around looking over her billows, "KOLE!" she yelled. From behind the billows came a thing, or at least that's what it looked like to Kael'thas. It had the basic shape of a humanoid, but it was pitch black, he thought at first it could have been a golem. Its eyes glowing red, and its hair was short and choppy and the color of ash. "Yes my lady?" "What are you doing?" she crossed her arms and looked at the creature standing beside the billows. "I was working my lady." When he came more into view Kael'thas noticed his skin looked rough in some spots, further making Kael'thas think he was a golem, but why would a golem be wearing clothes? It was wearing torn off pants and a smiths apron, which is proceeded to wipe its hands on. "Where is the sword I gave you to analyze?" she seemed to be annoyed at the construct. "Oh! Its back here." It disappeared behind the billows. "Why…why did I take an apprentice?" she lowered her head and sighed. It came back and handed her a sword, Kael'thas immediately recognized it. "You take better care of your blade than your armor, I will tell you that." Flarea turned and walked towards him. "Is this a relic, or a family heirloom?" She unsheathed it, examining it. "Its passed down from King to King of the Sunstrider clan." The woman laughed, "A king? This belongs to a king? Ha, this is an insult. She too the blade a swung it, striking an anvil, the blade shattered. Kael'thas felt his heart stop for a beat. "If you want a sword fit for a king, I'll make you a sword fit for a king." She pointed the broken blade at him, "And that." She pointed at the armor, "I will reforge as well, and if I ever see you let it fall into such disrepair again, I will kill you." She took and set the broken blade atop the anvil. "Kole!" "Yes my lady?" he approached her. He took something from behind his ear, and took hold of his arm, "Take our guest here to the city, show him where the great library is, and fetch these while you are there." She used the long black stick she pulled from behind his ear and began writing on his arm, but instead of ink it carved into his skin, turning the area glowing red. After she was done, he took the implement back. She pulled something and threw it at Kael'thas, "Umira left that for you should be more than enough for you to do most anything you want. She also left you free passage into the great library; guess she thought you would like it or something. I have work to do, so both of you go." Kole approached Kael'thas, "This was lord Sunstrider." He bowed waving Kael'thas towards the steps.


	4. Chapter 4

Kael'thas followed the construct out of the building and down to the path, as they walked; he opened the sack that Flarea had tossed him, inside were gold coins, with unknown markings on them. It didn't seem to be much. "Lady Umira is very generous." Kole said as they walked, Kael'thas looked up at the creature then back at the bag. He wasn't a beggar; he didn't need her money or pity. "So where are you taking me?" Kael'thas sneered. Kole stopped and looked at him, "I was asked to take you to the Great Library, it was assumed you would be happier there." The creature had a posture suited to a servant, but somehow those dark eyes seemed to hold a questioning look. "Stop looking at me like that! All of you! I don't need your pity and sympathy." Kael'thas bared his teeth, the green orbs flared up around him for the first time since he had awoken. Kole stepped back, realizing he could be in danger.

_That's right, fear me you stupid construct. I can feel it now, my magic is responding, and now I can find my way out of here, even if I have to destroy this whole place. The woman, Umira, I don't know what she is up to, but I will not play along any longer._

Kael'thas began to cast a spell, fire forming in his hands. He grinned, as the construct took another step back. Too late, Kael'thas thrust forth his hand fire leaping from it and straight for Kole. It struck him straight on in the middle of the chest. Kole was knocked back by the blast. He hit the ground with a loud grunt. Kael'thas began to laugh as black smoke flared around the construct. "You... why? She has done so much for you…" Kael'thas looked as the smoke seemed to part, standing there, with a huge bright glowing red spot in his chest, Kole looked at him. "Moron…throwing fire at a fire creature, you need to be more observant." Kael'thas spun around, before he himself was hit by a fire blast that threw him further than Kole. It was Flarea, she was hovering in the air, her right arm had fire dancing all over it. "He was taking you to the Library because then you wouldn't have to deal with us. You could be left alone in your pathetic glory to gain the power you sought through the deceiver. Umira gave you access to a great power by letting you into the library, power and freedom. She was trying to make you happy." Flarea's eye burned as they stared at him. Kael'thas was frozen in terror, he tried to move, tried to form a spell to return at her, but nothing came to him. "And you moron…you let him attack you? How stupid can you be?" Her harsh stair turned to her apprentice who was rubbing the spot in his chest; "Had he been anything but a fire magus you would have been dead!" she landed gracefully on the ground, the fire still dancing around her arms. Kael'thas held his chest where he had been hit, as he managed to look down, he noticed his robe wasn't burnt, and the pain he felt seemed subdual, as if he had been hit by a rock, and not fire. Flarea walked up to him, he was still sitting on the ground. "Do you even comprehend what Umira has sacrificed for you in these last months? Can you even imagine the scorn she had drawn by bringing you into this world? No, no you can't. And now she is giving you everything you could want, and all you want to do is screw it up." Flarea clenched her fist and drew her arm back. Kael'thas set himself as best to block a physical blow. "She has sacrificed her position and her honor to protect a worthless piece of shit like you!" Her arm came forward to strike him, but something got in the way, it was Kole, he stepped in-between them and blocked the blow. "Please, Lady Flarea, he has been through much…in time, maybe he will understand what has been put before him…" parts of his black skin fell from his arm; the rest was fire red, like his chest. Flarea lowered her gaze, the fire dying from her arm, she turned and began to walk away, she stopped after about 10 paces.

Kael'thas watched, the construct, it had defended him, for no reason, no command, even after he had attacked it. "Please Lord Sunstrider, let us go." It stood there watching its master, not even turning to Kael'thas. He stood, his chest hurt a bit, he had a feeling Flarea had held back. Without another word, Kole began to walk; Kael'thas looked once at Flarea, she was looking away from them completely still. He began to follow the creature once again, now doubting that it was really a construct.

After about 10 minutes of walking the came upon the small marble structure Kael'thas had seen when he had first emerged from Umira's home. In the center was a large platform with an orb sitting in the center. "This is the gate house, it is how we travel quickly from one place in this world to another. All is required is to walk up to it, place your hand on the sphere and call out the place you wish to go." It had been the first time Kole had spoken since they had left Flarea. Kael'thas looked at the object, it was simple enough, if he knew where he was. "The capital city of this world is called 'Persithine' and this is place here is called 'Crystal Lake'. Shall we go?" Kole stepped up onto the platform and waited for Kael'thas, after he had done the same, Kole touched the orb and called out "Persithine" and a light grew around them, blinding them momentarily.

When the light cleared, they were indeed somewhere else. Immediately Kael'thas could hear voices speaking and the sound of a bustling city. The two men stepped off the platform and out of a small room, they entered into an open air building which seemed to house many of the teleportation devices. From here Kael'thas could see the city streets and people and strange creatures walking by. When they made it to the city street Kael'thas had to stop. The creatures that walked past him where like none he had ever seen before. Somewhere tall, others short, but some had the strangest heads you could imagine, one walked by that looked like a very strange bug, with long tentacles hanging from what seemed like its mouth, with small beady eyes, and a carapace like body. Kael'thas took a step back and grimaced. Kole chuckled, "It's a lot to take in, so many different people live here." After watching people pass for a minute, Kael'thas noticed Kole begin to move, and he quickly fell into step, as he didn't want to get lost in this place. Who knows what sort of creature might find him; not that he wasn't sure of his own ability to defend himself of course. They walked for about five minutes before Kael'thas began to smell something wonderful, he stopped and took a deep breath, it smelled like cakes, and he realized he was very hungry. Kole stopped and turned back, he then smiled, "Are you hungry Lord Sunstrider?" Kael'thas looked at Kole, he was acting as if nothing had happened between them, "Yes, I am, what is that smell though?" Kole turned and pointed, "Only the best bakery in all the city. Come, we'll stop there and eat." Kole led, and soon the two came upon the source of the smell, now more than ever Kael'thas was feeling very hungry. There were tables and chairs arranged on the side of the building, and the two men chose one closer to the back corner away from the street side. As they sat, Kael'thas noticed that the red marks on Kole had faded away already. Kole seemed to notice him looking, "It was nothing really, sort of like when your kind get slapped, a red mark that fades away. She was right, I was lucky you threw fire at me, had it been Ice magic, I could have been easily killed." Kael'thas looked questioningly at the other man as he situated himself in the chair, "Why did you defend me?" he leaned back, an almost pompous look on his face, as he crossed his hand in front of him. "Because, I was like you once, snatched from my own world in the middle of battle; being placed in this world without my consent. And like you, all I wanted to do was get home, unlike you though, I didn't have a home to go back to. It took me time to realize what had happened, and to understand I was lucky to be alive. But like you, I resented their help, fought back against them, and got knocked down more than once." Kole leaned back in the chair, his head falling back as he looked at the sky. At that moment someone walked up, "Kole it's been forever!" a high pitched voice said in an almost giggle. Kael'thas looked, and standing next to their table stood a strange girl. At first she almost resembled an elf, she was petite with long slender pointed ears, but her face was very pointed and she wore strange and colorful makeup in varying patterns, but if this wasn't enough when she spoke Kael'thas's eyes were drawn to something behind her, as she spoke something moved behind her and Kael'thas soon realized she had wings, not like a bird, but like a butterfly. Her makeup and her clothes seemed to compliment the incandescent red and green colors in her wings. She was quite pretty as far as Kael'thas was concerned and a welcomed sight from the strange bug creature he had seen earlier. "Neosha, indeed it has, have you been well?" Kole lifted his head and looked at the girl. "Ya! Just workin, and perfecting my newest recipes!" she giggled. "That's wonderful, oh, Neosha, this is Lord Sunstrider." He said motioning his hand at Kael'thas, "Nice ta meetcha!" she said with a giggle, "This is Neosha, her family owns the bakery." "That's us! But enough about me! You must be hungry! What can I get you?" she said settling her hands in front of her, changing her childish tone to more of a professional one. Kael'thas looked around, he had no idea where to even begin, seemingly sensing his confusion Kole spoke, "Neosha, he's new around here, why don't you pick something out." "OF course! Do you like sweet fruits Lord Sunstrider?" she asked with a big smile. Her smile was uplifting, and he couldn't help but smile himself, "Yes, yes I do." He said with a nod. "Then I have just the thing! Would you like to try some of my family's very own wine with it?" Wine, it sounded delightful, he couldn't remember when he had last drank a good glass of wine, or even tasted a sweet pastry. "You seem to be reading my mind." He smiled at her. "Oh no, mind reading isn't my gift. "she put her hand to her mouth and giggled. Kael'thas looked at her, what did she mean, not her gift? "Kole will you be having your usual?" she turned and looked at the other man. "Please." He answered. "I'll be right back!" she said before she turned and walked away, her small wings fluttering gently as she walked. "Yes they are real, and its her older sister who can read minds, she can move things with her mind though." Kole watched her walk away with a smile on his face. Kael'thas looked at the other man questioningly. "Lady Flarea sometimes has a craving for their spicy cinnamon tarts and has me fetch them; I've come to know the family quite well." Kael'thas relaxed again, a neutral look coming to his face, "Is what Flarea said true?" he asked. Kole looked over to him, "Hmm? Oh you mean about gaining great power in the library, yes, well as far as I have heard it is. I personally can't use magic, but Lord Whindam says it's full of tomes of great magic and that even the most advanced Magus can learn something new." Kael'thas looked at him, he didn't seem to be lying, "What's a Magus?" he continued questioning Kole. "Mage, Wizard, Enchanter, Sorcerer, it's the generalized term for user of arcane magic." Before Kael'thas could say another word Neosha returned with the a tray that held one glass wine goblet and a blue glass bottle. She set the tray down and set the goblet in front of him, she then picked up the blue glass bottle and began to pour the wine, she poured it with perfect grace, so that even as she finished and lifted the neck of the bottle up she didn't spill even a drop. Kael'thas nodded a thank you to her, and lifted up the glass and smelled it. The wine was a very dark wine, and it had a rich smell to it, he swirled it around in the glass a moment and then took a small sip of it. He was amazed, it was fantastic, and it had a good strong body but was also sweet, unlike most red wine he had ever tasted. It had a personality all its own, and he was really enjoying it. He took another sip, a long one this time and when he had finished he looked up at the girl, "This is probably the best wine I have ever had." He smiled raising the glass as if to toast her. "Oh, stop, your too kind." She blushed turning away. "I'll be back in a moment with your treats." She walked away sheepishly. Kael'thas now didn't feel like talking, he wanted to sit and enjoy this wondrous drink he had been given, he looked and smiled to himself, she had even left the bottle. Perhaps things in this world wouldn't be so bad.


	5. Chapter 5

After finishing what Kael'thas had to call the most delicious pastry that he had ever eaten, the two men began their journey through the capital city once more, Kole was carrying a bag under one arm, it was a bottle of the wine Kael'thas had been drinking, Neosha had been gracious in offering to sell the prince one of the bottles. Kael'thas held the bag of money in his hand, after paying the girl for the food and the wine he found he had only used two of the multitude of coins, and one of the gold was given to the girl for her service. She had been a bit taken a back, by his generosity, but since his arrival on this strange world, she was the first to make him feel truly relaxed, or maybe that was the alcohol talking. As the two men walked, Kael'thas noticed the area began to change; it became more shops than homes. Stalls sitting outside steps and large door open wide, people passing in and out of the buildings.

A giggle caught his attention to the right of him, he looked and a woman, well at least he was pretty sure it was a woman, wearing a gaudy heavy dress carrying and oversized feathered fan winked at him. She had deep emerald green skin and her hair seemed to be made of crystal as it was a bit spiky as it spilled down to her shoulders, he shot her back a smile, before he felt something on his arm, her turned and shook it off disgusted. "Don't touch me." He demanded at Kole. "My lord, it would be best to not indulge her, she is a Farceillion, her mate won't be far away and all she is doing is trying to start a fight, and a fight with her mate will not end well for you…" they continued to walk, and Kael'thas took a quick glance back, a much taller burlier creature of the same emerald skin color had approached her, it has a large and grotesque face, and it was looking directly at him. "Noted…" he took a few quicker steps to catch back up with Kole.

Once they passed another group of buildings, the rode spilt off in four directions. They stopped momentarily as a large carriage rolled past, they then turned down the same street and began to walk, and Kael'thas got his first view of the great library, two buildings sit closely together, one smaller than the other, but both made of most beautiful stone, than seemed to hold every color in its facet, in some places he saw hints of red, others green, they seemed to run across the buildings surface like small rivers. The largest building was very tall rising up even higher than the Sunfury spire. From his view the building was quite wide, with smaller shorter areas coming off the sides, making it appear the building was built in tiers. A smaller but just as impressive building sat to its left, it held no windows and seemed to be perfectly round. As they came closer Kael'thas noticed that the people had changed, instead of a mix of what appeared to be common folk and aristocrat, everyone here seemed to be dressed in robes or what appeared to be expensive dresses and suits. Some had what appeared to be servants beside them, the carriage that had passed them earlier had stopped in front of the larger building and as they came to the base of the Library the contents of the carriage emerged, it was very tall standing probably about 8 feet, its arms and legs where very slender as was its torso. Its head seemed to be like an elongated egg with three long tentacles hanging down like hair. It has large jelly like eyes in a soft blue hue much like its skin. It walked slowly with an exacted grace, simple white cloth adorning its body; it seemed out of place on the creature. When it reached the massive stone doors, what Kael'thas assumed were sentinels lowered their heads and a much shorter creature which seemed to be made of ethereal light approached it and bowed. "Welcome back Lady Grushinsha." The creature spoke nothing, Keal'thas didn't even remember seeing a mouth on the creature. The Ethereal being and the tall blue creature walked into the building. "Well we are here." Kole said waiting, Kael'thas took that as a sign for him to go first, of course he was the prince and Kole was a servant of sorts. Kael'thas stood tall putting on his prince face and approached the doors. The sentinels did nothing, not even noting his presence, Kael'thas let out and aggravated snort, but continued into the stone building.

More of the ethereal creatures were inside, some walking others talking to other creatures, he began to assume these where the stewards of the library, he continued to walk, the entrance was quite large stone pillars rising high each with its own crème color with streams of color running through them. An ethereal approached the two men, "Welcome Lord Sunstrider to the Lundald Great Library." It bowed to him, he simply gave it a nod back. "This way my lord and we will make sure all the arrangements are correct." Kole held out the bag to the ethereal and it took it. "Good bye Lord Sunstrider." Kole bowed, Kael'thas gave a nod, and with that the ashen black man left. "This way my lord." The ethereal began to walk, it had a humanoid shape but he couldn't tell if it was male or female. They reached a large white stone desk, behind it sat a humanoid creature, it had long pointed ears, but much too long to be elven, they slumped down at the tips almost overlapping, it had solid white locks fashioned in a style common to trolls. It looked up at him; it was wearing a heavy black robe with many medallions hanging around its neck. "Ah yes, Prince Kael'thas Sunsrider, we were expecting you." It reached out long bony fingers taking a quill near it, it then took the quill and wrote something slowly in the book, it then looked back to him. "You will be staying with us here for a while it says, but the length is unknown, correct?" it cocked its head sideways slowly. "I presume." He answered, "Yes, all of your expenses have been covered, and you have been granted a sapphire authorizations in the library." It wrote something else down before placing the quill back in the well. "Tarja will be your watcher, she will attend to anything you shall need." It looked its head to the left, and when Kael'thas looked a blood elf was approaching him dressed in a red robe. She stopped next to him, "Welcome Prince Sunstrider, I've been waiting for your arrival." He was a bit confused, she was a blood elf, or at least something that looked strikingly like a blood elf. "If her form does not suit you Prince, she can change." The desk keeper said looking down into its large book. "Its fine." He said, not sure how to interpret what the creature had said. "Thank you my Prince, I did my best to choose something I thought you would prefer." She bowed again. He just nodded at her. "Shall we go my lord, you must be ready to look around your new home." She took the bag from the ethereal, before she waved her hand showing Kael'thas to the right of their desk.

The two walked past the desk and out into an open area where many creatures seemed to gather. "This is the common room, if you will. Many of the people who stay here gather here to talk and exchange ideas and theories." Around where chairs of varying style and size, and tables of the same, there seemed at one end to be a group of creatures playing a game resembling chess. "This way my lord." She waived her hand. The two approached a moving platform, it was going up and down, as Kael'thas looked up, he saw many floors up them, as the platform came to rest on the bottom floor the two stepped on to it. Kael'thas continued to look up and around, his attention was deviated when he heard a strange skittering noise as he looked back the way they had came his eyes widened, a long black shelled creature, looking too much like a giant cockroach was skittering there way, it did indeed came onto the platform, its long tentacles briefly touching Tarja's leg, it then stood up in a sorts, resting on two of its cone legs and the rear part of its carpace. "Eeeexcusssse mmmmmeeeee, I ffffooounnnnd tttthhhissssss onnnn the ffffllllooor, cccccoooould yooooou fffffinnnnd ttttthe ooooowner?" It held something it was appeared to be its mouth. "Of course." She offered out her hand. It dropped the object which now appeared to be a silver necklace, into her hand. "Mmmmuch Ttthhhanksssss." With this it reached with one of its cone legs and poked a button the on platform, Tarja in turn did the same and the elevator began its ascent.

_That has to be the most foul and grotesque thing I have seen yet! They let oversized roaches into this establishment? And it can talk? Repulsive._

Kael'thas had to hold back and shudder. The platform came to a halt and the creature fell down onto all 6 of its legs and began to skitter away. After pushing another button, the platform continued its ascent two more floors before stopping, Tarja stepped off of it, and waited for Kael'thas. The two walked down a hallway with doors on side and a rail overlooking to courtyard below. They stopped at a large door, Tarja pulled something from inside her robe and held it to the door, it was an amulet of sorts. The door responded and a click was heard as the door unlocked. Tarja then turned and handed the amulet to Kael'thas, "This will lock and unlock the door to your room, I also have one so that I may come and go when you need me." She opened the large door and stood just inside the room, holding the door as the prince entered the room.

As he looked around the room seemed to have been built just for him, from the walls to the furniture. The room was painted in a medium red shade with gold accents on the trim and pillars, it had two doors leading off to either side of the room, with the far wall being mainly glass windows with two doors leading out to what he assumed was a private balcony. The room he stood in he assumed was a sitting room. It had a large couch with two matching chairs, all in shades of red and gold, with a glass table in the center of them. On the wall to his left was a very large desk, suitable to sit a dozen or more books on, with a large and comfortable looking chair. As he began to wander he opened the door on the left wall, it was a very large bathing room. There was a tub raised up in the center suitable for at least 4 or more people to sit in. He walked to the other side of the room, and opened the two doors, as he guessed it was his sleeping chambers. A very large four post bed sat on a raised platform on the far wall of the room. As he walked further into the room, he spotted multiple armoires along the wall opposing the windows. There was another comfortable chair on the wall with the door sitting in front of a fireplace. Kael'thas couldn't help but smile, this place was beautiful. He walked back into the other room and walked to the glass doors and opened them stepping out onto the balcony. He walked to the edge and looked over at a garden down below. Tarja followed him out onto the balcony. "Is it to your liking my Prince?" "Yes, it's amazing." Kael'thas looked over the garden below and up at the smaller white building across the yard.


End file.
